Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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4. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his views on the effectiveness of the re-entry provisions for the community employment schemes in rural areas and if he will consider implementing separate rural and urban work schemes; when the additional places in the rural social scheme promised in the programme for Government will be allocated; and if the future of the Tús schemes is secure. [29208/16]

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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My questions are on work schemes and their effectiveness in rural communities which are areas where I see serious issues. Will the Minister comment on the effectiveness of the re-entry provisions for the community employment scheme in rural areas? Will he consider a rural and urban CE scheme?

2 o’clock

When will additional places in the rural social scheme, promised in the programme for Government, be introduced? Will the Minister clarify the future of the Tús scheme?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Employment programmes form an important pillar in the strategy to assist long-term unemployed people return to the open labour market. This is achieved through the provision of opportunities within local communities to gain work experience while at the same time supporting the delivery of important services to communities. To be considered for re-entry to community employment, CE, once a person has exited, a period of 12 months needs to have elapsed and that person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment for that 12-month period. Lifetime participation on CE is capped at three years for those aged under 55 years and six years for those aged 55 years and over.

The Department is acutely aware of the differentiated impact of unemployment across local areas. The live register figures by office are closely monitored, along with work programmes in rural and urban areas to ensure maximum utilisation and value is gained from these programmes in all areas.

The rural social scheme, RSS, provides work opportunities for 2,600 farmers and fishermen who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. In addition, Tús currently has places for 8,000 participants.

The appropriate level of expenditure, the number of places and the criteria for participation on employment schemes, including CE, Tús and RSS, will be considered in the context of budget 2017 and subsequent budgets. In this context, the Government is conscious of the valuable contribution these schemes make through the provision of services to individuals and communities throughout Ireland.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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Community and voluntary organisations throughout the country, in particular in the Cork South-West constituency, value the work carried out by CE workers. In many cases, such as with meals on wheels and looking after local graveyards, they are doing work that used to be previously funded by Departments, whether through county councils or other agencies, but which has been affected by recruitment embargoes. These workers have now been asked to go home and have no gainful employment. It particularly affects those in rural communities where there are no great employment opportunities, bar seasonal employment during the summer.

Will the Minister comment on this? Can we work on a rural and an urban CE scheme? Places on the rural social scheme are limited to 2,600. There has been no increase over recent years. Farmers and fishermen are struggling greatly on low incomes. Workers on the Tús scheme want to continue working and do not want to go back on social welfare. Will the Minister also comment on that?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Two weeks ago, I went to Caherlistrane, near Tuam, to see a rural social scheme in operation with the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Canney. I was very impressed by it. I compliment Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív on setting up the scheme when he was Minister. It is a useful scheme in areas on the western seaboard where there is not much opportunity for off-farm income. I hope we will be able to provide extra places for it next year. However, that is a budgetary matter currently under negotiation. The Deputy is correct that it is specifically mentioned in the programme for Government.

It is intended that the Tús scheme will continue. It is important to bear in mind there are many schemes in place such as CE2, JobBridge and Gateway. A number of scheme places were flexed up during the recession and are now beginning to fall off with the economy recovering. I acknowledge there are different parts of the country where employment is hard to find. We may need to consider a different set of rules for these areas, especially where they cannot fill places.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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I appreciate the Minister’s reply and the fact he has seen the good works the rural social scheme and its workers have carried out down through the years. These are 2,600 diligent people who do not want to earn soft money at home. Instead, they want to work for what they earn. They have to be commended on the work. Visiting a community which has benefited from this gives the Minister a clear insight as to what has been carried out.

Will he look further into a rural and urban aspect to these schemes, particularly the CE scheme? I am inundated, as I presume are other Deputies, with requests from CE workers who want to continue working, earning very little but happy to do so. Unfortunately, they are being sent home, only to look out the window. It is not good for their physical or mental well-being. Whether it is a CE or a Tús scheme, a year-long scheme does not fit all situations. I would appreciate it if the Minister could examine it further.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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We are going to look at the rules and make them more suitable for current times. As unemployment goes down, many of these schemes become as much about social inclusion as they do about employment activation.

However, the Deputy should bear in mind that if people are allowed to stay longer in such schemes, say three or four years, it prevents others from getting on them. No matter how many schemes there are, the places are finite. He should also bear in mind that we want to avoid people ending up in a cycle of scheme training welfare. We do not want people to end up on schemes for too long. People can already be on schemes for up to six years in their lives, which is quite a long time.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Eamon Ryan is not in the Chamber, so we will proceed to Question No. 6.